Sambalpur: Three constables have been suspended in connection with the oil scam in the police department, while senior officials have also been accused of involvement in the scam

The state police department has launched a number of schemes, including the ‘Our Police’ campaign to make the people happy, while a petrol pump has been set up in Sambalpur with the help of Bharat Petroleum Company. On March 28, 2018, the then Director General of Police, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Sharma inaugurated the petrol pump. Since then, the pump has been running smoothly, and during the last panchayat election, millions of rupees have been embezzled by over-billing of oil fillers in vehicles used by the district police department during the last panchayat elections. The gas station has been closed for about 10 days after the incident was reported. Three constables have been suspended during the preliminary investigation. District Superintendent of Police has suspended constables Ajit Dhal, Border Sethi and Ranjit Swain, working in the MV section of the Reserve Police Line.

In the last panchayat elections, special arrangements were made through the Reserve Police Line to refuel vehicles used by the police department. Hundreds of motor vehicles were handed over to the police by the state transport department for the election. A special S-level officer from the Reserve Police Line for petrol and diesel to be used in vehicles was given special tokens to refuel the vehicles. The four-wheelers were given 1 liter per 10 km and the variants were given 1 liter of diesel per 3 km. Petrol was also provided for special two-wheelers. The allegations surfaced after the election went to the state police headquarters and the Election Commission to file bills for public and private vehicles used for elections in the district. The Sambalpur district police was immediately ordered to investigate and report the bill, which was higher than the normal cost. The district superintendent of police has assigned Homeguard DSP Yogeshwar Oram to investigate the incident. Immediately after corruption police shut down the petrol pumps and then Preliminary investigations revealed more than Rs 5 lakh corrupted.

Asked by the investigating officer, Mr Oram said the incident was being investigated and that three constables had been suspended by the SP. B. Gangadhar said a DSP officer had been tasked with investigating the incident as there was a lack of coordination between the vehicles and the refueling.
“Three people have been suspended from the preliminary investigation and strict action will be taken against the perpetrators,” he said. Senior officials have also been involved in the scam.